BACK TO ITALY
Table of Contents:
NOT SO ANCIENT.
PARMA, PIACENZA, AND GUASTALLA
WORLD WARS.
PARMA TODAY.
HISTORICAL PARMA.
AROUND PARMA
ACROSS THE RIVER.
The name sounds familiar. Did they name it after cheese? Isn’t there a ham with the same name?
Why is this town in northcentral Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region on the tip of your tongue?
Ancient Parma History.
Parma was already booming during the Bronze Age (3200–600 B.C.).
Remains of an ancient village indicate people were living here circa 1500 B.C.) Under the Piazza Duomo and Piazzale della Macina are remnants of an ancient necropolis.
History is a little vague from 3000+ years ago, but Parmeal and Parmnial appear in writings from the Etruscans. A parma is a circular Etruscan shield, later in use by the Romans. Is the village’s name due to its round shape like a shield? Maybe it is a “shield” against the Gauls to the north, no one is certain.
In 187 B.C., the Romans complete the Via Aemilia. Roman roads are to move armies quickly. The communities and trade that springs up along them are a secondary benefit.
This road connects the road running from Genoa to the Venetian region, with the main road along the east coast. By 183 B.C., the Roman village of Parma is thriving along this route. Along with nearby Piacenza and Mutina (today’s Modena), the Parma area has approximately 2,000 families.
Around March 15, 44 B.C., Ceasar has an awful day at work thanks to Brutus and Cassius. During the crumbling of the Roman Republic, the Gauls, probably with help from displaced Etruscans, sack Parma the same year.
It is not until Augustus heads up the new Roman Empire (Circa 26 B.C.) that rebuilding begins. Parma becomes a Julia, a title indicating loyalty to the imperial house.
Circa 15 B.C., Augustus orders a new road into the Alps. The Via Claudia connects today’s southern Germany with the Via Aemilia east of Parma.
Not So Ancient Parma
Life in Parma is pretty peaceful for the next 200 years during the Pax Romana.
But waring city-states and eventually, an Empire that splits leads to unrest. Circa 274 A.D., most of the Roman Empire in Asia and Africa, breaks away.
Diocletian patches it together circa 300 A.D. by creating a split empire, the Greek East and Latin West. This idea lasts as long as he does, but it opens the path for Constantine I to establish the Byzantine Empire.
The weakening of the Western Roman Empire makes it ripe for plundering. The Germanic tribes and the Huns waste no time.
Attila sacks Parma circa 452 A.D. The Germanic king Odoacer overthrows the Western Roman Empire circa 476 A.D.
Parma, like much of Italy, will fall from one power to another. By 490 A.D., the Ostrogoth Theodoric the Great will control it. The Byzantines strike back and take Ravenna and its holdings (Parma) in 540 A.D.
Totila, king of the Ostrogoths, destroys Parma and other cities before regaining control of most of Italy by 550 A.D.
Emperor Justinian, in the last push, sends thousands of his troops to the area and defeats the Ostrogoths. The Gothic War ends by 554. Little remains of the Ostrogoth forces, and the Byzantine numbers are few. They are no challenge to the Germanic Lombards in 568.
The Lombards will rule for the next 299 years calling the area the Kingdom of Italy. The Parma region will see constant growth and castles, hospitals, and inns along the main roads.
The Franks
In 774, the kingdom falls to the invading Franks and their King Charlemagne. He crowns himself King of the Lombards before moving on.
Parma became the capital of the county collecting taxes for Charlemagne but pretty free to rule itself.
Circa 800 A.D., the Pope, requiring protection, revitalizes the Roman Empire by making Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor.
Bishops oversee the counties. Charlemagne and the Papacy are at odds almost immediately. Parma was usually in support of Charlemagne. Two Parma bishops became antipopes in opposition to the Pope.
Parma Middle Ages
The Middle Ages see the continuing fight between the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor. During all of this time, the city-states continue to grow, building their army and treasuries.
Circa 1140 A.D., Parma, and Piacenza form a commune, finding strength in numbers.
The 1167 A.D. Lombard League is an alliance with the support of the Pope. Its goal is to lessen the influence of the Holy Roman Emperors over the Kingdom of Italy. The members are not supporting the Pope as much as they keep one side from gaining too much power.
The 1183 Peace of Constance from the Holy Roman Emperor gives the Lombard League the right to self-govern. What appears to be caving to the league throws it into turmoil. Long-standing quarrels with the neighboring communes of Reggio Emilia, Cremona, and even partner Piacenza escalate. The primary source of contention is the Po River, a vital trading line.
By the 1200s, the Guelphs, supporting the Pope, and Ghibellines behind the Holy Roman Emperor, are bitter local rivals. Everyone is fighting everyone on different levels. This local battling will go on for 200 years.
In 1213 Parma, her Podesta (high official) is a Guelph. For the next 35 years, the city has a Ghibelline in the role of Podesta.
Here Come the Dukes.
By circa 1250, extremely wealthy families are getting members as Podesta. Instead of going quietly at the end of their one-year term, they are influencing the election of their relatives. Then they start taking control and becoming Dukes. A title they would buy from a royal family and supporter of the Holy Roman Emperor. The Pope fires back and begins assigning Archbishops. And there is fighting on all levels.
The Sforza family acquires the Dukedom when the Visconti family can not produce a legitimate male heir. It takes corruption, bribery, and a marriage to a female Visconti relative. The family will rule from 1441 until 1491. Then the rule will pass back and forth between the Sforza and the House of Valois, a French relation, until 1535.
Here Comes the Pope.
Remember, everyone is fighting everyone on many levels? Circa 1512, the Papal States (troops of the Pope) seize all the lands south of the Po River. They create the Duchy of Parma and give it to the Pope’s illegitimate son, Pier Luigi Farnese.
They give the city of Piacenza to the second Duke, and it becomes the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza.
The Farnese family will rule until they can no longer produce a legitimate male heir in 1731.
Elizabeth Farnese is the Farnese heiress but cannot officially rule. She is the wife (Queen) of King Phillip V of Spain. Their oldest son Don Charles inherits the title.
Four years later, he trades Parma to Emperor Charles VI (Hapsburgs) in exchange for the Two Sicilies.
With the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, Parma goes to Don Philip, the younger brother of Don Charles. This merge creates the House of Bourbon-Parma. He also receives the Duchy of Guastalla, a small area bordering Modena and Reggio. It becomes the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla.
The Guy With the Napoleon complex
Italy’s Second War of Independence
With the new kingdom comes a new capital. Starting in Turin, it moves to Florence before landing in Rome. Parma is no longer its capital, and the economic and social crisis is devastating. It is in a much bigger pond.
The April 1945 Battle of Collecchio takes place eight miles southwest of Parma. Here the Allies, lead by a Brazilian infantry, manage to capture 14,700 German troops, 800 officers, and two generals. The liberation of Parma happens soon after.
Jewish Parma
The Lombards and many of the Popes are supportive of the Jewish communities in Italy. It is not until circa 1200 that things go from bad to worse. Pope Innocent III makes them wear yellow badges.
This treatment goes on for more than 200 years until Pope Martin V reverts many of the restrictions. Later, Popes try to reverse this, but by then, their power is not as durable.
A Jewish community exists in Parma until the European expulsion during the Spanish Inquisition circa 1555.
They return during the industrial immigration circa 1880. Parma’s Jewish community grows to approximately 700. The synagogue, dating from 1866, is the center of their town.
With Mussolini’s accession to power in 1922 and the rise of the Fascist government, it appears many Jews flee Parma. In 1939, 18 of the Jews remaining in Parma will go to the death camps.
During World War II, they hide many pieces of the synagogue’s belongings in the Palatine Library. The Comunità Ebraica di Parma is near the city hall. Reservations are necessary at many European temples these days.
Today, the Palentine library is home to the second-largest collection of Hebrew manuscripts in the world. The originals are in humidity-controlled vaults. A digital collection exists.
Parma Today.
Although it has a history, must-see sites, and great museums, this is a city where you start with the cuisine.
Home to Parmesan cheese, Parma ham, Lambrusco wine, and an international pasta company are just a few of its claims. No wonder it becomes UNESCO’s first Italian city with the status Creative City for Gastronomy.
There are museums for ham and cheese. Hungry yet?
The city has structures from the Romanesque, Medieval, Italian Renaissance period, and more.
This city of nearly 200,000 people is on the main train line and toll-road running from Milan to Bologna.
Less than an hour from Piacenza, Modena, and Reggio Emilia, it is an excellent base for exploration.
Standing near the Cathedral in July or August, you will think tourism is their most important industry, but it’s not. Agriculture is still the big money-maker of Parma.
What is in Parma for me?
See & Hear.
Why not listen to the music of Verdi live in one of the many theaters in the town. He comes from this area.
Taste & Smell.
You can quickly fill a day or two, just sampling the local Parmesan cheese, Parma ham, and Lambrusco. And you will not regret it. I can make a lunch out of the three with a little fresh-baked bread.
Feel.
People have been walking these streets for more than 3000 years: Romans, Germanic tribes, artists of the Renaissance, and musicians. As you walk down one of the narrow, pedestrian-only streets, I dare you not to feel the history?
Sit in a caffe with a chunk of local cheese, thin slices of ham, and a glass of local wine. Watch the shadows creep across the baptistry and think about your day. There may be better ways to end your day, but this one doesn’t suck.
Should See Historical Parma.
Although a few streets running through Parma allow traffic, I highly recommend walking. Parma is, as Italian towns go, relatively flat. There is not a lot of parking in the historic district, and some parking garages may double as a closet.
Starting at the Ponte (bridge) of Giuseppe Verde, on the east side, is the historic district. Currently, Parma’s Historic District is on UNESCO’S Tentative list. Directly in front of you are three arches leading into the Palazzo della Pilotta Complex.
Palazzo della Pilotta
This monumental complex, consisting of several buildings built over the centuries, was the Ducal Palace for the Farnese court. The original palace, dating from 1583, is hard to detect within the numerous additions. The complex now houses five should-see sites.
Cortile del Guazzatoio
To your left (north) of the first courtyard is the Cortile. Formerly an area for military use, today, many activities take place here.
Within its walls are the original rooms of the Farnese Court. Today they house the Nazionale Gallery.
L’Accademia Nazionale di Belle Arti di Parma
The Gallery is for the priceless collection of the Farnese (Duke of Parma) family. Before the last one dies, he moves the impressive collection to Naples. The group you see today is from the Bourbon-Parma dukes. The Gallery sustains damage from Allied bombings in 1944. The Gallery also houses the private Art School Paolo Toschi.
Palatine Library
Above the three arches you came through when entering is the Ducal Library, ( A.K.A. Royal Parmense Library, the National Library, the Bibliothèque Imperiale, and the Bibliothèque de la Ville de Parme.) It is another collection that Don Filippo di Borbone will need to begin after the original departs.
The Bodoni Museum
On the other side (south) of the library is the oldest printing museum in Italy. Giambattista Bodoni, a Piedmont typographer, creates a new style of type, making Parma the world capital of printing circa 1800. On the third floor of the library, it is the location of his original studio and apartment.
Farnese Theater
The Farnese build the original theater quickly in 1617, to impress the Medici family, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. They are hoping to present the Farnese on the same level as the Medici. It works, and the marriage between Margherita de’ Medici and Duke Odoardo Farnese takes place. The 1944 Allied bombings almost destroy the original.
National Archeological Museum of Parma
The collection dates from circa 1760, making it one of the oldest in Italy. Initially, the Duke set it up to house the precious findings coming from Veleia Romana. These excavations of a Roman city are 40 miles to the west. The collection has been growing for the next 200 years.
The lower floor houses the local artifacts. The Upper level includes Egyptian, Etruscan and other pieces.
Piazza della Pace
On the east side of the Palazzo is this green space that is popular with locals. Think of it as the backyard of the Palazzo. You will find monuments to Verdi and also one to the local patriots.
Palazzo della Provincia
To your right, the three-story building with four columns is the circa 1841 Palace of the Guardhouse. Much of what you see today is a post-1944 restoration
Palazzo di Riserva
The yellow building(s) across the street, east of the piazza, began as administration offices in the 1600s. Circa 1764, Duke Philip of Parma, has them repurpose it into a casino for his fellow noblemen and their courtesans. Circa 1840, the current Duke, Charles III, has them make it a private residence.
Fondazione Museo Glauco Lombardi
Thin exciting museum displaying a collection of 19th-century art and cultural works. Many of the items belonging to members of the House of Bourbon-Parma. The museum is in the Palazzo di Riserva, once the residence of the Bourbon-Parma Dukes. There are also items from Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma (1816–1847), and Napoleon’s second wife.
As you exit the museum, turn left on Street (Strada) G Garibaldi.
This grand opera house, on your right, dates from circa 1820, a request by the wife of Napoleon. After he conquers the area and moves on, he leaves her to rule over the Duchy. Even if you are not an opera fan, hear one in an Italian opera house. In the fall, they do a Verdi Fesitval, usually from mid-September to mid-October. Tours are also available Tuesdays – Sundays.
Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata
In the next block, on your left, is this Renaissance church. Since 1601, pilgrims have been lining up to see the image of the Nursing Madonna, an icon with miraculous powers. It is the final resting place for many of the Dukes of Parma and their family.
In the piazza outside, you will find Monumento al Parmigianino, a water fountain to Parmigiano, the painter. From here, walk one more block south to Strada Giuseppe Mazzini. Turn left and walk one block.
Piazza Garibaldi
This area is the government plaza.
Palazzo del Governatore
On your left, the light yellow three-story building with a clock tower is the former Governor’s Palace. Today it is a gallery of modern and contemporary art. The Gallery is only open during special exhibitions or events. The current building dates from circa 1606. It is a rebuilding of the 1283 structure, which the tower damages when it collapses.
Giuseppe Garibaldi Monument
In front of the Palazzo is this statue to the man who brings Italy together as one country.
Palazzo del Podestà
Across the street, on the south side, is this circa 1240 residence of the Podesta, (early village leader.) The building with the dovetail battlements on the roof were the offices and headquarters for the Podesta. Later they acquired the building on the left for more space. Today they are municipal offices not open to the public.
Municipio Di Parma
City Hall is to the left of the Palazzo, with the flags on the front and colossal archways. I imagine there are some great rooms inside, but they are not accessible by the public.
Str. Cavour makes up the eastern side of the piazza. Walk north on this street three blocks to Via Carlo Pisacane. Turn right. You should see your destination ahead of you.
Piazza del Duomo
Where to start? When you turn the corner, the first thing that will jump out at you in the tallest.
Cathedral Bell Tower
The Gothic belfry circa 1284-1294 soars more than 200 feet into the air. There is only one tower, but the original plans were for two. For the fit, there are 414 steps to reach the Bell Tower’s observation area.
Cattedrale di Parma
The current Cathedral (circa 1074 A.D.) is on the site of a previous church. The Romanesque sculpture and Renaissance painting blend into an incredible canvas. While striking now, at its inception, it was scandalous. Correggio’s Assumption of the Virgin fills the cupola (dome).
Baptistery of Parma
The octagonal building to the right of the bell tower is the 1216 A.D. Baptistery. Where do you begin? The outside decorations all tell a story, and there are hundreds of them. Inside, the beautiful frescos and the marble basin are worth a visit.
Bishop’s Palace
Across the piazza from the Cathedral, this building is the seat of the Bishop. Construction begins circa 1045 A.D., and a few parts of that building are remaining. They repair, rebuild, and add-on over the years, creating the Romanesque, Renaissance, and Baroque structure you see today.
You are thinking robes and rosaries, and you are off track. This museum is for fans of architecture. It is like a timeline of Parma construction through the centuries. Roman walls, columns, mosaics, and even the Cathedral’s original angel await you.
The museum is in the palace basement. You enter via an adjacent building in the northwest corner of the piazza.
Antica Farmacia San Giovanni
On the south side of the Cathedral, just off the piazza, is this small museum. Circa 652, the Cathedral’s congregation begins its apothecary, to make and dispense free medicines for the sick and needy. This service continues until the 1960s. Inside, you can see rows and rows of painted antique ceramic jars, mortars, and other items.
San Giovanni Evangelista
Monastero di San Paolo
This former Benedictine convent, dating from circa 1000, was mainly for women from aristocratic or wealthy families. It includes Margherita Farnese as one of its postulates. Like most religious sites, Napoleon closes it down. Luckily, it does not undergo the destruction and later abandonment of so many places. Today, it houses several new sections.
Pinacoteca Stuard
The entrance is across the street to the left. In this wing of the convent is the private collection of Giuseppe Stuard. The museum has over three hundred paintings, predominantly Italian painters, from the 14th-century to the 19th-century. The group also includes archeologic items.
When you exit the museum, turn right, and you should see the monasteries clock tower. Continue past the clock tower, keeping to the right onto Strada Melloni Macedonio. You will come to a tree-shaded lane along the back of the convent. Turn right between the two pillars and walk to the end of the path.
Camera di San Paolo e Cella di Santa Caterina
The first entrance you come to on your right (before the arch) is for the Chamber of St Paul. (Closed on Sundays, requires coins or credit card for ticket) This room was the chamber of the former abbess’s apartments. The ceiling and frescoes are by Correggio (circa 1519). They are masterpieces of Italian High Renaissance art.
The Cella di Santa Caterina is a small chapel across the monastery garden. The frescos include two scenes of the Saint’s life. This area has not been open the last two times I was there.
Il Castello die Burattini
Just beyond the arch is this unique museum of animation theatre in Italy. The castle of puppets (AKA Ferrari museum) has approximately 500 of its nearly 3000 items on display. Besides puppets, marionettes, scenery, there are stage props, scripts, and more. One room contains items from the Ferrari family. This local family was a driving force in this theatrical entertainment.
The Piazza della Pace is in front of you with the Palazzo della Pilotta behind it. You are back to where you started.
Further Afield
North
Chiesa di San Francesco del Prato
A Franciscan church dating from circa 1230 A.D., it becomes a victim of Napoleon. They loot the church and suppress the rights to worship. It becomes a jail for many years until finally, they abandon it. In 2018, a full restoration of the church began to consecrate it for religious services by 2021.
Casa del Suona
This 1674 building, at first a convent chapel, serves that purpose until the 1805 arrival of Napoleon. Suppressing the Franciscan community, the French take all their assets.
The monastery becomes an infirmary for the prison (san Francisco) across the street. The church and chapel become a storehouse. Eventually, the French depart and the building serves several purposes, but usually storage. By 2000, the chapel and church are the only parts remaining.
Today, it is a museum to sound. After an extensive renovation, the structure now houses an exhibit through the history of sound.
Museo dell’ Opera
Across the street and east from the House of Sound is this charming small (two rooms) museum. It holds the history of opera. After 400 years, I guess they know something. Imagine learning about opera in Emilia-Romagna, a region that gave us Giuseppe Verdi, Arturo Toscanini, and Luciano Pavarotti.
East
Chiesa di San Vitale
San Vitale is a Baroque style, Roman Catholic church. The current building dates from circa 1658 with add-ons and several restorations. Many paintings and sculptures are from the 16-1700s, although Napoleon’s troops did cart some away.
South
Orto Botanico di Parma
Santa Maria degli Angeli
Cittadella di Parma
The Viale Giovanni Mariotti parallels the Parma River on the east bank north of Strada Giuseppe Mazzini. To the south, it is the Viale Arturo Toscanini. The Ponte (bridge) di Mezzo must be a crucial old bridge, right? Well, it was until the Allied bombing in 1944. All the Parma bridges date from post-WWII.
Pons Lapidis (Ponte Romano)
Santissima Annunziata
Birthplace of Arturo Toscanini Museum
Parco Ducale
Cross the street and enter the park. This public park was once the private grounds of the Duke of Parma. Follow the path straight into the park until you come to the more significant center path. Turn Left.
Trianon Fountain
At the end of the path is a large man-made lake with an island in the middle. Directly in front of you, on the island, is the beautiful Trianon Fountain, I think. A beautiful three-level marble fountain, dating from circa 1719, influenced by the fountains at Versailles, is flowing. Supposedly, the fountain went through a massive restoration in 1999. My problem is every time I visit; vegetation is blocking most of the structure. Maybe I need to come in the middle of winter when there are no leaves. The setting is lovely, but I would like to see the fountain.
Palazzetto Eucherio San Vitale
A lovely Renaissance mansion, circa 1520, sits at the other end of the park, (180 degrees turn from the fountain.) Beyond where you came in, the paths going off the central “road” you are on stop being perpendicular. You will see a track on your right curving away. Along this path, on your right at the edge of the park, is San Vitale. In the last several years, restoration (yeah!) on the interior is uncovering parts of frescos from the 16th-century. The building is not open to the public (boo.)
Back on the circular path, think “wheel.” Just beyond the mansion, there will be a path to your left, like a spoke. Walk to the center of the wheel.
Palazzo del Giardino
The palace you see, circa 1561, is the residence of the Duke of Parma Ottavio Farnese. This palace is the seat of the ducal court for almost 100 years before it moves to buildings around the Pilotta. After the 1861 Unification of Italy, it becomes a military school. During WWII, it suffers bombing, looting, and other damage. Restoration will take place bit by bit, until 1968. During the 1960s, the Italian riot police (Carabinieri) use it as a headquarters.
The most scenic way back to the historic district is to walk around to the center of the “wheel.” From here, take the path at the 10 o’clock position. This trail will bring you out of the park at the Ponte Verde. This bridge leads directly to the Palazzo della Pilotta.
Torrione Visconteo
Before you start across the bridge, look to your right. The 14th-century Medieval tower is part of the defense for the original bridge. You cannot go inside, which I hear requires T.L.C., but it makes a great kodak moment.
Parma Summary.
Are these all the should-see sites? Hardly. But this list should keep you exploring for a while.
The problem with Parma is that every other building is a palace of something. Although many are private now, or off-limits to the public, their exteriors are worth seeing.
So many people race from Milan to Venice, maybe seeing Verona from a train window. They miss Parma and everything within 100 miles entirely. That could be an Italian opera; it is so tragic.
The art, architecture, opera, history is all fascinating. And we did not even touch on the culinary. Parma is a foodie destination. Just about every town, village, and farmhouse between Milan and Bologna are.
Do not miss Milan, Venice, or Florence. But make sure to see what is smack dab in the middle of all three.